Blackwater

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About Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army

It was the moment the war turned: On March 31, 2004, four Americans were ambushed and burned near their jeeps by an angry mob in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah. Their charred corpses were hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River. The ensuing slaughter by U.S. troops would fuel the fierce Iraqi resistance that haunts occupation forces to this day. But these men were neither American military nor civilians. They were highly trained private soldiers sent to Iraq by a secretive mercenary company based in the wilderness of North Carolina.

from a Post on Veterans Today

MISSION

To support national and international security policies that protect those who are defenseless and provide a free voice for all with a dedication to providing ethical, efficient, and effective turnkey solutions that positively impact the lives of those still caught in desperate times.

Blackwater is committed to the foot soldiers — the men and women who stand on the frontlines of the global war on terror and who believe in a peaceful future for their communities and nations. Whether serving in or out of uniform, Blackwater is committed to providing these men and women with the very best in training and tactical support to ensure they are fully prepared to meet current and future global security challenges.

from Blackwater’s Website

“And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I’m sorry it’s the case, and I’ll work hard to try to elevate it.”— [Bush] Speaking on National Public Radio, Jan. 29, 2007

from Slate’s The Complete Bushsms

Orwell had nothing on George Bush’s America. We have the topsy-turvey language, of course, where the Clear Sky Act is in fact an attack on the environment, and behind the President’s vow to never use torture is a memo justifying torture.

That was just the start. Bush and company (and I really mean company) have built a private army to help fight their war. You would think this would be top-secret, or that if this army were exposed, which has nearly as many people in Iraq as the U.S. Military, it would be an enormous scandal. Nope.

The mercenary army is called Blackwater, and it bills itself as “the most comprehensive professional military, law enforcement, security, peacekeeping, and stability operations company in the world.” They are not shy.

There’s a bestseller that has “exposed” Blackwater, although it wasn’t really hidden. And Blackwater has pro shop where you can buy hats and t-shirts. You can’t make this stuff up. If you’re thinking of starting your Christmas shopping now, I would love a manly watch.

Posted in: Economics, Miscellaneous, Online Places, War, Writing

Black Bloggers

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — In the first scholarly research examining the role of black bloggers in the blogosphere, Brown University researcher Antoinette Pole assessed how bloggers of color use their medium for purposes related to politics. She found that black bloggers are, in fact, mobilizing readers to engage in political participation. Additionally, Pole found that black bloggers do not feel discriminated against or excluded by other bloggers. These findings appear in the International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society.

Among the top political blogs, Pole says blogging has primarily been undertaken by white men, coined by Chris Nolan as the “Big Boys Club.” She says blacks comprise approximately less than 1 percent of political bloggers.

“Though they are less numerous, examining the role of minorities in the blogosphere is important if blogs are being used to engage in political discourse and discussion, and more importantly, political action that has real-world implications,” Pole said. “Who has influence in the blogosphere and how bloggers are using this new medium to undertake political action merits study.”

from E-Activism: Analysis of Black Bloggers in the Blogosphere

I have never been a fan of identity politics– to my way of thinking, the way around all sorts of bad things is through real economic freedom, particularly wide-spread unionization and a shortened work week. If we got the week down to say, 20 hours, well, we would have time to fight all sorts of evil.

It’s hard to argue with Eugene Robinson, though, when he writes that “class is important. But race is, too, and while I hope we eventually get to the point where race is irrelevant, we still have a long way to go.” Among the places to start reading, the Black Agenda Blog, the Angry Black Women, blackfeminism.org and blackprof.com.

Posted in: Composition, Language, Online Places, Professional, Writing

Local Terrorists

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AUSTIN, Texas — A 27-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a makeshift bomb that was found outside a clinic where abortions are performed, authorities said Friday.

Paul Ross Evans has been charged with use of weapons of mass destruction, manufacture of explosive material and violating freedom of access to clinic entrances, according to a statement issued by the Austin Police Department.

KELLEY SHANNON, The Associated Press
Friday, April 27, 2007; 8:06 PM

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Five members of a self-styled militia were denied bail Tuesday after a federal agent testified they planned a machine gun attack on Mexicans, but a judge approved bail for a sixth man.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Armstrong said he could not grant bail to the five because of the agent’s testimony and the amount of weapons — including about 200 homemade hand grenades — that were seized in raids Friday in northeast Alabama.

“I’m going to be worried if I let these individuals go at this time,” he said.

Associated Press, May 1, 2007

CHERRY HILL, N.J., May 8 — A group of would-be terrorists, allegedly undone after attempting to have jihad training videos copied onto a DVD, has been charged with conspiring to attack Fort Dix and kill soldiers there with assault rifles and grenades, authorities said Tuesday.

Five men — all foreign-born and described as “radical Islamists” by federal authorities — allegedly trained at a shooting range in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains to kill “as many soldiers as possible” at the historic Army base 25 miles east of Philadelphia. A sixth man was charged with helping them obtain illegal weapons.

Dale Russakoff and Dan Eggen, Washington Post
Wednesday, May 9, 2007

My guess is that of these three events, most readers are only familiar with the last. The Fort Dix plot, which may or may not turn out to be legitimate, was certainly worthy of attention. Yet the other two attacks are part of a bigger picture, a long history of right wing domestic terrorism, which may be much more frightening.

Alleged Muslim terrorists– even with all the ambiguity implied by the involvement of police informants– are more interesting to corporate media because they are so easy to demonize. The white supremacists and Christian identity movement folks are a real problem, simply because they do not look so very different.

Yet the bombing of family planning clinic sand the harassing of their clients has taken a terrible toll on the quality of life in the United States. Xenophobia, homophobia, and young white men with powerful weapons; links among right wing violence, Christianity, and misogyny. That might sound a little too much like the Supreme Court.

Posted in: Composition, Miscellaneous